Characterization of Water/Ethanol/Bentonite Dispersions

Between the most used clays in industrial applications are the bentonites. They are used as additives for drilling fluids, binders for foundry sands and minerals ores and as pet litter sands. Due to the mechanical and thermal properties that they furnish, bentonites will become in near future important fillers in clay/polymer nanocomposites and efficient drugs delivery media. In this paper, a commercial bentonite activated with sodium carbonate bentonite from the state of Paraiba in Brazil, and a commercial bentonite from the United States of America were characterized by diverse techniques such as XRD, and cation exchange capacity. It was studied the rheological properties of bentonite/water/ethanol dispersions, at 4% (in weight) of bentonite, with ethanol concentration varying from zero to 94%, in weight. Both bentonites presented viscosity—ethanol concentration curves with a maximum at less than 60% ethanol.